Note: London period, from 23 VI 1902

**LETTER NO. 106**

I take this opportunity to tell you, dear V. I., that you are wrongly offended with me.

I had no intention of offending you. We both got somewhat carried away in the dispute over the program, that is all. Someday, when we see each other, we shall discuss this face to face, "soul to soul" (that is the main thing here) and then — if you are willing to be impartial — you yourself will see that I too had some grounds for considering myself offended.

But let us put aside this particular matter in the interests of another, far more important, *general* matter. Believe me: I have deep respect for you and I think that on 75% we are closer to each other than to all other members of the "collegium"; on the remaining 25% there is indeed a difference, but after all 75 is three times greater than 25, and in the name of *unanimity* we ought to forget about *discord*. You meet few people (Russians) and do not realize what a storm is gathering over us in the form of the terrorists "Socialist-Revolutionaries" and so forth. What is terrible is not individual persons, but unprincipled "spontaneity," and spontaneity is growing. And now to stir up internecine strife there is simply unthinkable. Therefore, once more, do not be angry with me, and if you wish me to give you some satisfaction, write to me, and I shall do everything I can so as not to irritate a comrade who is so useful to the cause and whom I, believe me, respect with all my heart.

By the way. You did not receive an answer from me and saw some kind of tendency in that too, but your letter arrived in Geneva when I was in Zurich, called there by Yu. O. [Martov]. Upon returning to Geneva I thought it was already too late to reply (the matter concerned a practical affair with Quelch, and about everything else we had talked with Yu. O. [Martov]), and so I said nothing. This example shows you that much in our "history" is explained more simply and better than it appears.

*Dixi.*

I clasp your hand firmly (if you have no objection to this).

G. P.

*) This is the first letter that was written by Plekhanov to Lenin after the Zurich conference of April 14-17, 1902. The immediate occasion for its being written was the following circumstance. Probably in the first half of June, a manuscript of Plekhanov's article for No. 4 of *Zarya* was received in London: "Draft Program of the R.S.D.R.P." Lenin made a remark on this article which was conveyed to Plekhanov by V. I. Zasulich in her letter to Axelrod. At the same time V. I. Zasulich appealed to Plekhanov with advice to write to Lenin personally regarding the continuing conflict. The letter being commented upon was the realization of Zasulich's advice.

2) Plekhanov's article: "Draft Program of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party" in No. 4 of *Zarya*.

3) *Glossen* — remarks. Plekhanov has in mind here Marx's "Remarks on the Draft Gotha Program" from 1875, where there is Marx's well-known phrase: "Each step of actual movement is more important than a dozen programs." (See K. Marx: "Remarks on the Program of the German Workers' Party." Letter of Marx to Bracke. M. Gosizdat, 1923, p. 43.)

4) This refers to the following passage in Plekhanov's article (see Works, vol. XII, p. 208): "In Marx's eyes the counterposing of actual successes of the movement to programs acquired meaning *only* in those cases when it was a matter of the program of such groups (or parties) which had not the slightest influence on the minds of the workers; the actual successes of the workers' movement are not at all dependent on the program of *such* parties (or groups)."

Apparently as a result of this correspondence with Lenin, Plekhanov indeed made a note at this point. Judging by the style, it was written by Plekhanov himself.

5) This refers to Lenin's letter to Plekhanov of April 17. Printed above as No. 97.

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**LETTER NO. 107**

21 June 1902 [Lausanne].

Dear V. I. *)

I propose the following: let Vladimir Ilyich publish his article without changes, but let me be given the right to express in my programmatic article *my* view on the passages in question.

You will agree that this is my sacred right. I understand that it is now unpleasant for you to be a mediator, but what is to be done? If the matter had not been transferred to London, there would have been no need for these endless negotiations. I await a very speedy reply, for I have requested the proofs of my article from Dietz 1).

At your service

G. P.

P. S. Simultaneously with this letter you will probably receive another, for transmission to Frey [Lenin], transmit it to its destination *).

*) Plekhanov's article: "Draft Program of the R. S.-D. R. P." in No. 4 of *Zarya*.

2) This refers to letter No. 106.

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**LETTER NO. 108**

23/VI 02 [London].

Dear G. V.!

A great stone has rolled off my shoulders when I received your letter, which put an end to my thoughts about "internecine strife." The more inevitable the latter seemed to us, the heavier such thoughts were, for the party consequences would have been the most lamentable...

I shall be very glad to talk with you at our meeting about the beginning of the "history" in Munich 1) — not, of course, in order to dwell on old grievances, but to clarify for myself what was offensive to you then. That I never had any thought of offending you, you of course know.

V. I. [Zasulich] also showed me your letter concerning the article, i.e., your proposal to give you the opportunity to briefly express your view in your programmatic article. I personally am inclined to consider such a solution the best and I think that the possibility of noting the difference in 25% (if it is already considered absolutely necessary to note it) exists and has always existed for each co-editor (just as you have already noted a somewhat different formulation of the question of nationalization in this same article 2) — or about liberals in review No. 2-3 of *Zarya*). I am of course ready now and once more to discuss with you the desirable changes in my article and for this purpose will send you the proofs. Choose whichever you prefer 3). We ought to finish *Zarya* as *quickly as possible*, or else the negotiations will drag on terribly. In any case I shall immediately inform A. N. [Potresov] and Yulius [Martov] of your suggestion.

V. I. LENIN — G. V. PLEKHANOV *).

*) The letter is written in Vladimir Ilyich's hand and has a note at the top: "copy." — Ed.

Lenin Miscellany, III.